20090909

Dutch student severely beaten by minibus gang

CAPE ARGUS, CAPE TOWN. Sept 9 2009 - Dutch student Adam Hijner, picture from his Facebook page, was abducted, severely beaten and robbed by a minibus taxi driver, his guard and a companion – and heard a month later that this gang is infamous in the city – and is still operating with impunity despite their license plate being reported to the police.

“I am partially responsible for what happened to me…’

He writes me today: “Cape Town is tops, but you must know your place. At night, it’s really not a good moment to get into the minibus-taxis, especially not with a brandnew cellphone in clear view. I am partially responsible for what happened to me, so I shouldn’t be compaining. It’s only that when I heard that those same guys (who attacked me) had also raped a woman and robbed and then ran down another man, I would never have mailed the (Cape) Times. As long as those guys (the taxi-gang) keep on picking up people, the risk remains that such things will happen (to the passengers). I don’t want that on my conscience. By the way, the mibus-taxi’s registration number is CA 24 58 59

The 24-year-old Dutch student has lived in Cape Town since April 2007. He said that his time in the country had been a "contrasting experience", with the "stunning scenery, great atmosphere and professional opportunity" being marred by "government inefficiency and a lack of general safety, social infrastructure and public amenities".

After months of trying to get a driver's licence appointment he has to rely on public transport. Last month, after boarding a minibus taxi in Sea Point Main Road, Hijner was taken against his will to an alley in Woodstock, where the taxi driver, his guard and a companion robbed him of his cellphone and R600.

A "brutal" struggle ensued, with the taxi guard choking Hijner and a gun-wielding assailant repeatedly striking Hijner's face. "I was almost immediately out of breath. After a few moments, I lost my strength and was pulled backwards towards the door."

Hijner said he experienced a "moment of clarity", as he blocked off the pain and tried to escape. "The driver was punching me in the face and the third guy was going through my pockets. Eventually, I used my left leg to push myself out against a bench. I fell, losing my right shoe, still being held by the guy who was pulling my leg." Head bleeding, face swollen, he staggered to a nearby home as the taxi sped off.

Hijner said he remembered the taxi's licence plate number and included it when laying a charge at the Cape Town Central police station. Last week, Hijner boarded another taxi in the same area. After recounting his ordeal, he said the taxi driver also knew of the gang.

"I was shocked to hear the licence plate number, (the driver said) the same three guys had previously raped a girl, and two months ago they had assaulted and robbed another guy, (before) running him over."

After more than a month, Hijner said he had seen the taxi and his attackers "at least six times", operating on the same route. After repeated SMS messages to the investigating officer, Hijner has yet to get a reply. Police could not comment by the time of going to press.

“Shortly after this news became known,” writes Mr M Bertolo from the United States, "he cancelled a holiday trip to South Africa with his 23 students, switching to Argentina instead:

“I have been organising a holiday trip to South Africa with my students - there are 23 of us altogether (including 3 teaching staff) and we would have been there in December. A lot of what we hear about South Africa is delightful.

“All the families and the teachers concerned have seen this report. Since we were going to spend two weeks in Cape Town, we have decided that we will change our venue and go to Argentina instead.

“There is no way we are going anywhere near a country where the police do not protect the people, never mind tourists. I must add that this report has been quite substantially reported in North America. M. Bertolo “

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The term "genocide" was coined by legal scholar Raphael Lemkin in 1943, writing:

'Generally speaking, genocide does not necessarily mean the immediate destruction of a nation, except when accomplished by mass killings of all members of a nation. It is intended rather to signify a coordinated plan of different actionsaiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves.

The objectives of such a plan would be the disintegration of the political and social institutions, of culture, language, national feelings, religion, and the economic existence of national groups, and the destruction of personal security, liberty, health, dignity and lives of the members of such groups... '